Portable dock levellers

ABSTRACT

A dock platform having a resiliently pivot-liftable wing on one side thereof which is adapted to bridge a space between a dock and the floor of an adjacent carrier, when lowered, for transport of material thereover, said wing being frictionally locked against said lifting until released by a foot pedal; ground wheels rockably mounted on one side and a castered dolly hinged to the opposite side of the platform, and said parts interconnected, for raising the platform thereon to an elevated and locked position by a lever, for portability of the platform and wing; and a second foot pedal for the release of the platform from said elevated and locked position onto the dock.

United States Patent Kumpolt Feb. 8, 1972 [54] PORTABLE DOCK LEVELLERS [72] lnventor: Karl Kumpolt, 1820 Selkirk Ave., Winnipeg, l4 Manitoba, Canada [22] Filed: June 15, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 46,383

Primary Examiner-Jacob L. Nackenoff Attorney-Kent & Ade

[5 7] ABSTRACT A dock platform having a resiliently pivot-liftable wing on one side thereof which is adapted to bridge a space between a dock and the floor of an adjacent carrier, when lowered, for transport of material thereover, said wing being frictionally locked against said lifting until released by a foot pedal; ground wheels rockably mounted on one side and a castered dolly hinged to the opposite side of the platform, and said parts interconnected, for raising the platform thereon to an elevated and locked position by a lever, for portability of the platform and wing; and a second foot pedal for the release of the platform from said elevated and locked position onto the dock.

5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB 81972 SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTOR Karl W Agent Kumpolt PATENTED FEB 8|972 31639535 sum 2 or 2 61 64 6s 62 I8 so 28 5a .NVENTOR A... E Karl Kumpolt fi Agent PORTABLE DOCK LEVELLERS In present day handling of commerce from storehouse to carrier, and vice versa, it is common to provide a dock or walkway at the side or back of the storehouse so carriers can come alongside to receive or deliver goods. It is also known to equip said docks with built-in levellers to bridge the space between the dock and the carrier, and accommodate the difference in height of the various carrier floors. In some cases, due to lack of space, docks cannot be provided, and the levellers are built right in the doorways of the building. It has been found that levellers are often left protruding too far out and become damaged by passing vehicles, such as railway cars or road cleaning machines, which also become damaged in the collision. It is also a fact that built-in levellers are expensive and can only be used at one place, and those built into doorways often interfere with door closing mechanisms.

In view of the above, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a portable dock leveller which is economical to manufacture, simple to operate, can be moved and used at different parts of a dock, and can be cleared from doorways for other passage, including the closing the doors.

With the above important and other minor objects in view, which will become more apparent as the disclosure proceeds, the invention consists essentially in the design, construction and arrangement of the various parts hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the dock leveller per se.

FIG. 2 is an inverted plan thereof.

FIG. 3 is a partial side view of the leveller on the dolly side, and with the dolly removed therefrom.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through the platform and wing and along the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken along the dot and dash line 55 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross section at the line 66 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 1.

The present dock leveller comprises a rectangular-shaped platform 10 having two sides 11 and 12 which are angularly bent downward at a slope, as indicated at 13 in FIGS. 6 and 7, and such that the other two sides 14 and 15 are of different lengths. It will also be noted in FIGS. 4 and 5 that the short side 14 is higher than the long side 15, and it is also bent down at an approximate right-angle to provide a wall 16 to the floor. The long side 15 is dipped slightly at 17 in a sharper ramp. Five reinforcing ribs 18 of U-shaped cross section underlie the platform in spaced relation thereover and extend from the wall 16 to the dip 17, and each is provided with a bottom spaced pair of rectangular rubber pads 19 to prevent platform movement when contacting a floor. A rectangular-shaped pocket 20 is upwardly formed in the deck of the platform, adjacent the side 11, the upper part of the pocket being level with the high side 14. The said pocket is provided for a purpose later explained.

A series of short vertical channel irons 21 are welded to the outer side of the wall 16 (FIG. 2) and in spaced relation therealong. These channels provide reinforcement to the wall and their upper ends support a series of spaced horizontal tubings 22 which are welded thereto. Further tubings 23 are received between tubings 22 and are supported and secured to a shaft 24 which passes through both to form a piano hinge 25 along the upper edge of the wall 16. These tubings 23 are welded to and support one side of a wing 26 as a ramp extension to the platform 10, being of a smaller but similar shape and provided with four spaced underlying and reinforcing ribs 27 which are similar to those 18. The platform and wing appear as shown in FIG. 4.

The side 12 of the platform 10, a the upper corner thereof, is cut away in a rectangular opening, and the edges of this opening are turned down in walls 28 and 29 (FIG. 2) for the reception of a castered dolly 30, which will be later described and explained.

A pair of spaced vertical walls 31 and 32 (FIG. 6) are mounted on the platform 10, adjacent said cutaway opening, the wall 32 being aligned with the turned-down wall 28. One end of the walls 31 and 32 are connected by an end plate 33 which extends above said walls, as at 34. An inverted channelshaped guide 35 has one end thereof pivoted to the back of the upper part 34 and extends between the walls 31 and 32 (FIG. 5) while a flat pitman bar 36 rides therein and projects from the free end to be received and pivoted on the upper foot 37 of a three-legged lever or tripedal 38, a lower foot of which is supported on and pivots with the outer end of the shaft 24 of the piano hinge 25. The third foot of the tripedal is connected to a rod 39 which passes through the reinforcing ribs 27 of the wing 26 (note FIG. 2).

A pair of coil springs 40 are provided (FIG. 2), one on each side of the guide 35. One end of each spring is suitably hooked to the foot 37 of the tripedal 38 while their opposite ends are tensionable (not shown) on bolts 41 which are carried on the upper part 34 of the end plate 33. This spring resilience always acts to rotate the tripedal and shaft 24 to lift the wing 26. To prevent this lifting, a lever 42 (see FIG. 5) is pivoted at 43 between the walls 31 and 32, and an offset foot 44 of this lever, at the pivot, connects with and jams the pitman bar 36 up and against the guide 35 to frictionally prevent any upward movement of the wing 26. This pressure is increased by a weight 45 on the free end of the lever 42. While the wing is locked against upward movement, it is permitted down movement by pressure thereagainst as the pitman bar can slide under said pressure, which tends to lift the lever weight 45. In order to release the wing 26 for resilient upward movement, an arm 46 is pivoted on the end plate 33, passes therethrough and is provided with a foot pedal 47 while the opposite end of the arm underlies the weighted end of the lever 42. Accordingly, pressure on the foot pedal 47 downward will raise the opposite end of the arm 46 to raise the weighted end of the lever 42 and thus release the pitman bar 36. The springs 40 will then resiliently lift the wing on the hinge 25.

The outer side of the wall 32 is provided horizontally with three spaced and aligned tubings 48 which are welded to said wall (see FIG. 3) and form one side of a piano hinge. Three upper spaced lugs 49 are also centrally carried by this wall. A forked handle 50 has its two forks pivoted on the two outer lugs by a long bolt 51 which passes through all three lugs. A coil spring 52 encircles this bolt between the central lug and an outer one and such that the tension of this spring between one of the lugs and the handle will nonnally maintain the handle in the overhanging position shown in FIG. 6. The upper end of the handle terminates in a manually operable loop 53, when grasped.

The dolly 30 (FIG. 6) presents an upturned boxing having one sidewall removed. This open side faces the wall 32 and the dolly roof at this point is rolled into spaced tubings 54 (FIG. 1) along this side for reception within the spaces between the tubings 48 of the wall to complete the piano hinge when a long bolt 55 is passed therethrough (FIG. 6). This hinges the boxing to the wall 32 and within the cutaway opening of the platform 10. Two caster wheels 56 are mounted within the boxing and to the roof thereof, in spaced relation and for its support to complete the dolly effect.

A lug 57 (FIG. 6) extends centrally down from the roof of the dolly 30, between the casters, and then pivotally receives the end of a link 58 which passes through an opening 59 in the wall 28 (FIG. 3). The other end of this link pivotally connects with the central part of a lever 60 (FIG. 2) which is pivoted in a channel member 61 carried under the deck of the platform 10. The short end of this lever 60 pivotally connects with a pull rod 62 which passes through the reinforcing ribs 18 of the platform to the other side 11 where it pivotally connects with a short crank 63 of a shaft 64. This shaft is carried in bearings from the underside of the platform and is positioned along the outer side of the pocket 20. Arms 65 from this shaft span and rotatably support double pairs of ground wheels 66 which are positioned within the pocket 20. Accordingly, when the handle 50 is manually swung down, against the resilience of the spring 52, until the forks thereof strike the top of the dolly 30, any further down movement of the handle will swing the wall 32 up on the dolly and lift that side of the platform 10. At the same time, the link 58, through the lever 60 and pull rod 62, will operate to lift the shaft 64 on the wheels 66 and so raise the other side of the platform 10. The platform can then be rolled and guided on the wheels.

In order to maintain the platform so elevated on the wheels 66 and dolly 30, the long end of the lever 60 is passed through a guide bar 67 (FIG. 2) on the underside of the platform, and its extremity rests on an offset arm 68 having one end thereof pivoted at 69 to a rib 18 while the other end is supported by a rod 70 (see FIG. 7) which passes up through the platform deck, through a coiled compression spring 71 and then terminates in a foot pedal 72 which the latter spring supports. It will therefore be seen that as the platform 10 is lifted by the handle 50, the long end of the lever 60 will move along the arm 68 until it drops behind the offset 73 to lock said lever against any droppage of the platform. To release the platform from its elevated position, the foot pedal 72 is pressed down, against the resilience of the spring 71. Accordingly, the extremity of the lever 60 will escape from the offset 73 and permit the lift mechanism to return to the positions shown in the drawings, and the platform onto the floor of the dock.

From the above disclosure it will be seen that I have produced a simply constructed portable dock leveller which is composed of a platform and a pivoted wing thereon, which can be rolled to a compact stored position, and the wing raised and the platform dropped. By use of the handle 50, the platform can be raised and quickly wheeled where required and then let down for use, by pressing the foot pedal 71 as explained. The wing can then be pressed down to span the spacing between the dock and a carrier, and also accommodate the height of the carrier floor so traffic can pass thereover safely. When no longer required, the pedal 47 is pressed and the wing 26 will resiliently rise to clear obstructions. By operation of the handle 50, as explained, the platform and wing are lifted on the wheels and guided back to storage by the same handle and be out of the way from interference with doors or other movable objects. What I claim as my invention is:

l. A portable dock leveller, comprising a ramp platform having a wing hinged to and projecting from one side of said platform; said wing adapted to normally extend over an opening between a dock on which the platform is supported and the floor of an adjacent carrier, for passage therebetwecn; resilient means for hinge lifting the wing on the platform; releasable frictional means for preventing the wing from such lifting; wheels mounted below the platform; means for lifting the platform and wing on said wheels to a locked position for guided transport thereon; and means for releasing the platform from said locked position.

2. A portable dock leveller as defined in claim 1, wherein a lever is carried by said wing at the hinge thereof and a spring acts on said lever for said resilient hinge lifting of the wing; and a foot control mechanism is provided for releasing said frictional means to permit such wing lifting.

3. A portable dock leveller as defined in claim 1, wherein said wheels are arm mounted under one side of the platform and a caster-supported dolly is hinged to the opposite side thereof; and said wheel arm mounting is connected to the dolly for simultaneous lift of both sides of the platform thereon, and to said lifted elevated position; and a foot operated mechanism is provided for said platform release means.

4. A portable dock leveller, as defined in claim 1, wherein said wing is downwardly and pressure movable against said releasable frictional means.

5. A portable dock leveller, comprising: a ramp platform having a wing hinged to and projecting from a high side thereof; said wing adapted to normally extend over a spacing between a dock on which the platform is supported and the floor of an adjacent carrier, for passage of goods thereover a tnpedal having one foot thereo carried by the hinge of the wing; a second foot of said tripedal attached to the side of the wing and a third foot thereof connected by a spring with the platform, for resilient hinge lifting of said wing; frictional means for preventing the wing from said lifting and permitting down pressed movement thereof; manually operable means for releasing said frictional means; wheels mounted on swinga' ble arms carried by a second side of said platform; a castersupported dolly hinged to the platform on the side remote from said wheels, and said dolly link-connected with said swingable arms; a lever carried by the platform and operable against the dolly for lift of the platform on the dolly and wheels to a locked elevated position; and a manually operable mechanism for the release of said elevated platform from said locked position. 

1. A portable dock leveller, comprising : a ramp platform having a wing hinged to and projecting from one side of said platform; said wing adapted to normally extend over an opening between a dock on which the platform is supported and the floor of an adjacent carrier, for passage therebetween; resilient means for hinge lifting the wing on the platform; releasable frictional means for preventing the wing from such lifting; wheels mounted below the platform; means for lifting the platform and wing on said wheels to a locked position for guided transport thereon; and means for releasing the platform from said locked position.
 2. A portable dock leveller as defined in claim 1, wherein a lever is carried by said wing at the hinge thereof and a spring acts on said lever for said resilient hinge lifting of the wing; and a foot control mechanism is provided for releasing said frictional means to permit such wing lifting.
 3. A portable dock leveller as defined in claim 1, wherein said wheels are arm mounted under one side of the platform and a caster-supported dolly is hinged to the opposite side thereof; and said wheel arm mounting is connected to the dolly for simultaneous lift of both sides of the platform thereon, and to said lifted elevated position; and a foot operated mechanism is provided for said platform release means.
 4. A portable dock leveller as defined in claim 1, wherein said wing is downwardly and pressure movable against said releasable frictional means.
 5. A portable dock leveller, comprising: a ramp platform having a wing hinged to and projecting from a high side thereof; said wing adapted to normally extend over a spacing between a dock on which the platform is supported and the floor of an adjacent carrier, for passage of goods thereover; a tripedal having one foot thereof carried by the hinge of the wing; a second foot of said tripedal attached to the side of the wing and a third foot thereof connected by a spring with the platform, for resilient hinge lifting of said wing; frictional means for preventing the wing from said lifting and permitting down pressed movement thereof; manually operable means for releasing said frictional means; wheels mounted on swingable arms carried by a second side of said platform; a caster-supported dolly hinged to the platform on the side remote from said wheels, and said dolly link-connected with said swingable arms; a lever carried by the platform and operable against the dolly for lift of the platform on the dolly and wheels to a locked elevated position; and a manually operable mechanism for the release of said elevated platform from said locked position. 